Quintessential Pennsylvania

In Northern Westmoreland County, there is a little known - and little traveled - bridge over the Kiskiminetas River that connects the village of Salina on the Westmoreland County side with the village of Edmon on the Armstrong County side.  The Salina Bridge, built in 1906, is one of the oldest standing bridges of its style in the state. The nearly 700 foot long Parker through truss bridge saw a major rehabilitation in 1978.  However, continued deterioration has led to a 10 ton weight limit and the state is currently debating on whether to repair or replace the bridge . Salina was a company town of the Kier Firebrick Company.  Most of the homes were built at the start of the 20th century.  The Kier Firebrick company would eventually become the General Refractories Company.  The former plant sat on the Salina side of the bridge.  The plant was eventually demolished and all that remains is a concrete pad. All photos taken by post author - December 24, 2008. How To Ge

Along PA 981 in the Westmoreland County Village of Alverton was the site of the former East Huntingdon Township High School.  Built in 1924, the high school replaced the former high school that dated to the turn of the century. The High School would serve East Huntingdon Township until 1964 when the school district merged with the Scottdale School District to form the Southmoreland School District.  The high school was renamed Southmoreland High School and was the district's high school until the late 1970s when a new high school was built across Route 981. The building continued to serve the community as Southmoreland Junior High School until 2010 when a new Southmoreland Middle School opened in Scottdale.  The building was later demolished and the site is now the parking lot for the school's football stadium. The intricate terra-cota details of the former high school's façade were one of the many features of this building. All photos taken by post author

The Youghiogheny River town of West Newton is one of many river towns that line the Monongahela or Yough Rivers.  Like many, West Newton was settled in the early pioneer days of the late 1700s, transitioned to supporting numerous industries in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and began to forge a new identity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Downtown West Newton  (William G. Prince) For West Newton, the town began as the site of a small family run ferry across the Youghiogheny.  The Simeral family, who ran the ferry, was the first to settle in the area.  In 1788, a group of Revolutionary War veterans camped here in winter, built boats, and headed west into Ohio.  These war veterans from Ipswich, Massachusetts would settle what is now the town of Marietta, Ohio. (1) This Parker Truss Bridge over the Youghiogheny River has been a fixture of West Newton since 1907. (Adam Prince) Later, a veteran of the Whiskey Rebellion, Isaac Robb, would lay out the town.  Origina